People have asked me….’Can you drink alcohol while taking neomercazole (carbimazole)?’
As far as I know, the answer is ‘yes’. Is it as much fun? As far as my experience goes, the answer is ‘no’. For some reason, ever since I’ve been medicated for Graves, I just can’t push the alcohol boat out as far as I used to. After 2 or 3 drinks I’m just ‘done’. Not drunk, just not interested in drinking. It’s like my brain turns off from the experience or maybe my body doesn’t want to process it.
I’m sure some people are horrified that I might want to drink more in a way that sounds irresponsible (by the way kids, drink responsibly!)…do I sound like an alcoholic? Well I definitely inherited the family gene for overindulgence which in some previous generations has manifested itself as alcohol abuse. I used to have a cast iron liver and work in an industry where drinking is part of your career progression plan! My family are all ‘party people’.
But these days I’m the one sitting there at 11pm, tapping her toe and looking at her watch. In fact that was me last night. It’s the morning after my office Christmas party and I’m the only one around here not sick or in self-inflicted pain. Thats good I suppose…but it begs a more fundamental question. Has Graves made me boring?
4 responses so far ↓
Marnie // December 19, 2008 at 2:22 pm |
I stumbled upon this blog trying to find out more about Graves disease. I have a fairly new diagnosis. November 1 this year, at which point I started taking 3 neo-mercazole per day. The docs say my body is responding well, and I’ve just been told I can resume light excercise, having become a three toed sloth in recent weeks for fear of heart attack…. Doc also tells me I can have a wine, no more than one, so hearing that you’re not at all interested in more than that is quite heartening really, not that I’m a big drinker these days anyway, responsible mother of two, getting up early in the mornings and alcohol are simply not compatible…. but Christmas is nearly hear…. I had to get help just to get some very basic housework done last week, as I’ve been totally useless for that sort of thing, and my brain??? it’s amazing I still have a job really, and I simply have to give my bank cards up I think and get an allowance, because my spending decisions are ridiculous…. I blame the thyroid…
Marnie // December 19, 2008 at 2:49 pm |
Hi – me again – I’ve just read through your entire diary back from first diagnosis – bravo for keeping it all up to date – You’ve had such an awful journey so far, and I really hope you are feeling better – You are allowed to wallow a little in the misery that your disease and it’s symptoms are giving you… your sister having cancer sucks and it adds to your problems and should never be a reason for you to not express how lousy you feel – I can empathise with the lack of understanding, concern and sympathy from people who know nothing about Graves or carbimazole – It’s like a breath of fresh air, reading about your tearfullness when in your first month of medication.. I myself am in upredictable tears about three times a day of late, and just totally unable to control it – although I’m fairly good at turning them off – My six year old daughter saw me in tears twice today and I quickly sucked it up. Mummy is just a bit sad. No real reason, although the fact that my best friend of eight years, has not once asked me how I am is somewhat upsetting….. Yep – I her you – Woe is me and all that – so glad I found your diary
Marnie
ratl1309 // December 31, 2008 at 5:09 am |
Hi Marnie and thanks. Your experience sounds very similar to mine so hang in there. It takes a while for Graves to get as bad as it does so it then takes a while to turn it around. I’ll tell you what people told me which is ‘don’t be too hard on yourself’. Now that I have breast cancer (I know…unbelievable!) which most people accept as a serious condition, let me assure you I felt much much worse physically and emotionally during my early treatment for Graves so I would say you’re entitled to a bit of a cry now and then!
Take care and hope you feel better soon (you will, trust me).
Rachael
KLP // April 6, 2009 at 7:43 pm |
My experience with Graves’ is that I can drink more before I get drunk. Once I’m drunk, I sober up faster. I had thought it was just cause I built up a tolerance in college, but now I see that my tolerance for alcohol increases with my thyroid hormones. Have you noticed a similar effect?